Catheters are used to treat many different types of medical conditions and typically include an elongated catheter tube that is inserted into and through a passageway or lumen of the body. Urinary catheters and, in particular, intermittent urinary catheters are commonly used by individuals who suffer from certain abnormalities of the urinary system, such as urinary incontinence. With the advent of intermittent urinary catheters, individuals with problems associated with the urinary system can conveniently self-catheterize to drain the individual's bladder. Individuals who suffer from urinary incontinence will self-catheterize several times a day.
Self-catheterization involves removing the catheter assembly from its package and inserting and advancing the catheter tube through the user's urethra. In many cases, users of intermittent urinary catheters have limited or diminished dexterity that is often the result of spinal cord injuries. Users of intermittent catheters are often required to self-catheterize outside the privacy of the home, such as in public restrooms. Thus, for these and other reasons, it is desirable that the intermittent catheters are provided in discreet packaging that is easy to open, compact and portable.
In addition to the desire for discreet packaging, portability and compactness, ease of handling and patient comfort during insertion of the catheter into the urethra are also goals of urinary catheter manufacturers. Properly positioning the catheter, manipulating the catheter and advancing the catheter in a way that limits or avoids discomfort and irritation to the urethral canal is not without its challenges. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a catheter and catheter assembly that can accommodate different ways of grasping the assembly in accordance with the user's preference. It would also be desirable to provide a compact catheter wherein the insertable portion is pre-configured to compliment the shape of the urethra and, more particularly, the female urethra. It would also be desirable to provide a combined catheter and handle that includes a curved angle of insertion for a female user that is in accordance with the female anatomy, and also allows for insertion in a difficult to view manner (i.e., “blinded insertion”).